I haven't been to a con before, or really hung out with any Hetalia cosplayers, but I'm just curious, is it annoying or weird to speak in the language or accent of the character you're cosplaying? I'll be cosplaying Spain at AX this year and since I'm in my fourth year studying Spanish, I thought it might be fun to toss some Spanish around or speak in an accent, but I don't exactly want to make anyone tear their eyes out with rage/annoyance. ;)
Opinions?

MercuryLampe

02-04-2011, 04:17 PM

I was planning on using my "Angry Italian Man" accent for my Romano cosplay, and spewing random Italian to my friends xDD
I personally wouldn't find it annoying; I'd find it adorable and funny!! <3

Ends Beginning

02-04-2011, 04:21 PM

When I cosplay as Russia I always use a Russian accent, but then again I speak in a Russian accent when I am drinking so it comes to me even when I am cosplaying. I do throw a few Russia words in while in cosplay and when I am with my friend who cosplays Belarus me and her speak to each other in Russian. My friend (Belarus) is Russian by blood and she taught me a lot of the language as well as the accent.
Some people may not like, but they have to face the facts that people will do what they like and aren't going to change just because someone doesn't like.
Do what you want and don't let other people bother you about. They can either get over it or get lost. ^-^

Kira*chan

02-04-2011, 06:48 PM

I don't try to speak in an accent, but when I cosplay Spain, I use a bit of random spanish at times.
Also for Poland, I use a bit of polish...though not as much, since I know more Spanish than Polish (plus, Polish is a really difficult language to learn, so I limit it to just a few words.) |D;

Where I live, there's a large group of Hetalia cosplayers, and at least a quarter, or more of them speak in an accent/insert random language. ^^

ametheneko

02-04-2011, 10:10 PM

Where I live, there's a group of like fifty Hetalia cosplayers that get together a lot, and there seems to be a trend. Nearly all Englands attempt an accent, and most Russias do as well. My Spain uses a Spanish accent and Spanish whenever she sees fit (she only speaks some French irl). My Prussia adds German into her sentences a lot, often yelling, "Nein!" As for myself, I'm France, and I speak in a thick, horridly false French accent. I also toss in some French (I only speak some German irl), and it seems to go across well. Other Italys do a sort of accent at times, but it's mostly Spain, Russia, France, and England that do anything. So no. We've invaded like a thousand local businesses and such, with a mob speaking in accents, and no one has been offended yet.

Axelai

02-05-2011, 02:33 AM

With a group of friends of cosplayers, we usually break randomly "into character" sometimes. Like our Germany will shout "NEIN" instead of "NO" and talk randomly in German at times.

Its not uncommon c: Just don't stay in character 100% of the time... that gets REALLY annoying.

belligerent

02-05-2011, 12:04 PM

Didn't when I was talked into being someone's Liet at otakon, since that was the first time I'd ever cosplayed. Ironic, since I actually am Lithuanian. However, I probably will when I start cosplaying him for real, since I'm also learning that language in the meantime (my dad's fluent and taught me some of it when I was really young, and I was around a lot of native speakers whenever we visited his family, so now it seems easy. Must have absorbed some...).

I don't really do it as Sweden, since he doesn't really talk. I will, however, probably talk like Arnold Schwarzenegger while Austria (and possibly speak German also).

smilestyle

02-05-2011, 02:43 PM

Thanks for all the input!

Its not uncommon c: Just don't stay in character 100% of the time... that gets REALLY annoying.

Haha, I won't do that, then. I don't know if I could stay in character 100% of the time anyways, I'm wayyy too silly and I'll eventually start making faces at myself or other dorky motions. x)

Axelai

02-05-2011, 07:37 PM

Haha, I won't do that, then. I don't know if I could stay in character 100% of the time anyways, I'm wayyy too silly and I'll eventually start making faces at myself or other dorky motions. x)

Yeah, because my girlfriend kept in-character as Romano the entire convention... and while it was ADORABLE, a lot of people thought she was seriously that way. And it didn't... end too well for some people ^^;

So really... what i personally do is find a balance of character and myself. Like, i'm usually kind of quiet, but perverted. When i cosplay America, i just make myself louder and talk like he does. But i'm still ME. When i'm Italy, i just raise my voice's pitch a bit and cling to Germany.. while acting innocent (but i still say really perverted things and people go WHATTTT).

Just find a good balance. Don't be 100% in-character c:

Hitsutai

02-06-2011, 02:59 PM

I didn't when I cosplayed as Italy. However, when I cosplayed as Punk!England, I used a lot of British slang (some of them being inappropriate, but only when children aren't around!)

Darkdreamyr

02-09-2011, 05:55 PM

The point is everything in moderation. Being too in character can get really annoying, especially at times when there's no reason for it. (Like harassing random strangers because that's what the character would do, but in reality its a bad idea.) Go ahead when in a photoshoot, or hanging with people who know you're just pretending to be a character, and be yourself when dealing with the random public who will have no idea why you're dressed up like that. ^^

smilestyle

02-18-2011, 01:34 AM

Thank you so much for the suggestions! (: I'll try to find my balance, and not get too weird with it. x)

Emiko87

02-18-2011, 07:15 PM

Didn't when I was talked into being someone's Liet at otakon, since that was the first time I'd ever cosplayed. Ironic, since I actually am Lithuanian. However, I probably will when I start cosplaying him for real, since I'm also learning that language in the meantime (my dad's fluent and taught me some of it when I was really young, and I was around a lot of native speakers whenever we visited his family, so now it seems easy. Must have absorbed some...).

I crossplay as Lithuania, and I'm fascinated by the actual country as well, I want to learn the language and go there someday (not to live, to visit.) I can't find any books though, except a couple kids' books (the "all the countries of the world" type with about 3 sentences per page) and a tour guide for all three of the Baltic nations together, when what I want is books of history and culture and a language course. I know what the language sounds like from songs on youtube, but I only know about 7 or 8 words that I've picked out from subtitles :/

Purfect*Rave

02-18-2011, 08:16 PM

As long as you don't go overboard, it's fine to talk in accents/languages.

I'm thinking about (once I'm freed from bronchitis-yuck!) seeing if I can do an Italian accent for Italy without making an actual Italian offended. If I can, I'll probably go the extra step and see if I can learn a couple of Italian phrases (that I can pronounce correctly) to toss around. If I can't, I'll just talk in a 'cutesy' voice for him.
But if I speak those couple of phrases and you go trying to have a conversation with me in Italian, I'll quickly apologize and point out that I don't actually know Italian, that I just did that as an extra for Italy, and go back to just the Italian accent for a while.

I say, go for it! I think it's a good way to make it easier for people to see you as the characters when you know the accent/language.

Axelai

02-21-2011, 01:02 PM

As long as you don't go overboard, it's fine to talk in accents/languages.

I'm thinking about (once I'm freed from bronchitis-yuck!) seeing if I can do an Italian accent for Italy without making an actual Italian offended. If I can, I'll probably go the extra step and see if I can learn a couple of Italian phrases (that I can pronounce correctly) to toss around. If I can't, I'll just talk in a 'cutesy' voice for him.
But if I speak those couple of phrases and you go trying to have a conversation with me in Italian, I'll quickly apologize and point out that I don't actually know Italian, that I just did that as an extra for Italy, and go back to just the Italian accent for a while.

I say, go for it! I think it's a good way to make it easier for people to see you as the characters when you know the accent/language.

If you're worrying about offending people... why are you watching Hetalia? XD;;

Joking aside, just use the character's voice for it. Since anything else is probably more offensive than just the actual voice. When I'm Italy, i personally switch between the dub voice and the sub voice depending on the situation (like i talk normally with dub voice, and when I scream for help, i use sub voice cuz its cuter).

acostory

02-24-2011, 12:17 PM

Accents and languages are my life. I can speak a fair amount of Italian, French, Russian, and Japanese. I'm also learning Welsh, Greek, and Arabic in my spare time. My first goal when learning the language is to perfect the accent, so I can articulate the language in a proper way.

When I cosplay Romano and Italy, I definitely use an Italian accent and speak some of the language. When I used to cosplay Russia, well, I used a Russian accent every single day, and now I no longer have a true American accent xD

Now that I'm going to cosplay UK, the fun will really begin. I can speak in over 20 different regional accents of the UK, and I am going to switch between all of them just because I can :3 I'm also not going to start on all the British slang I know, because that is another conversation for another time.

MaikusRequiem

02-24-2011, 06:35 PM

I'd say that speaking with an accent is a pretty good idea since it's part of the character. When I cosplay Ciel from Kuroshitsuji, I speak with a British accent, as well as sprinkling in a few archaic words for good measure. I should add that I've spent a large amount of time listening to ACTUAL British people speak so I've been able to get the proper sound of a British accent down and I'm well versed in old English. When I-eventually- cosplay Belarus, I'm going to be doing the same.(Which might be tricky because I'm not sure that an actual Belarusian accent exists anymore.)

I'd recommend that when you cosplay a country that you get the accent down as well as possible because you might end up offending someone. It bothers me to no end when I hear Italy's with bad Italian accents and even more when I hear Ramanos with bad accents, naming because I'm ethnically- and to a large extent culturally- Sicilian. As It turns out, Italy has one of the widest varieties of dialects in Europe. An Italian from Calabria won't sound like one from Tuscany. And DON'T even get me started on Sicilian... Madonne

BeckyDR

03-16-2011, 10:24 AM

I do try to speak in a Russian accent when cosplaying Russia, but I think it sounds more like I'm imitating his dub voice than anything else. However, I do speak Russian well due to studying it in college and having a lot of Russian friends online, so I will throw in Russian words and phrases sometimes, especially when talking to other Russias or former Soviet nations (Lithuania, Ukraine, etc.).

animenerd93

03-16-2011, 02:58 PM

I'm a Hetalia cosplay at ax, and I do Hungary. I put a little bit of her voice in but not much since its not so predominant. My friend who does Russia speaks in a Russian accent and throws in a few words. Also my England cosplayer speaks with English terms thrown in.

Ineedaname9

03-16-2011, 03:35 PM

I can't do a russian accent. I end up coughing....><; but I add the russian yes into my vocabulary so I'll say that when I'm cosplaying him. lol German... I'm slightly better at since my mother is full German/comes from Germany and talks in German to me sometimes. I'm not fluent but I wouldn't get lost in Germany ether. lol I say yes, no, and I love you a lot in german as Germany lol (I love you is ich libe dich. From my family, we probably use a dialect but I just don't know. It's pronounced like Ish liba dish. *different from the Dub)

Not surprisingly, my best accent is Dutch. mainly cause I lived there. I really should cosplay the Netherlands one day lol

Firefly026

03-16-2011, 04:44 PM

Well, when I was England at a con over the weekend, I spoke in a British accent sometimes.
Mainly when other Hetalia cosplayers ran up to me in character or other fans were like "IGGY!" and I'd respond in an accent.
I didn't do it all weekend (though I would catch myself randomly saying things in an accent all Sunday long, lol).

And at the Hetalia panel I went to, the France, Italy, Austria & Hungary of the panel all spoke in an accent.
It was awesome XD
I think it adds some more fun to cosplay, as long as you don't get annoying with it lol.

Axelai

03-16-2011, 04:47 PM

You know, saying "Ve~" after everything as Italy has taken its toll.

I naturally say that now. And get odd looks.

Especially cosplaying as America.

tsukie

03-16-2011, 06:19 PM

You know, saying "Ve~" after everything as Italy has taken its toll.

I naturally say that now. And get odd looks.

Especially cosplaying as America.

XDDDDD America saying "Ve~"...wwww

I really want to try German accent....but I failed miserably....=__=
Tried to throw some words in German......Can't pronounce them correctly....|||Orz

Naturally, when I speak in English, I have Chinese accent...
And after living in America for more than ten years, my Chinese has English accent....=___=

I fail at language...Q^Q
But my Japanese sounds pretty like a Japanese person though....

EDIT:
I need someone to just teach German to me...QxQ

Cousin Nick

03-16-2011, 07:17 PM

I just say random shit in German ;D And I yell it like I'm angry so that it fits :D

Firefly026

03-16-2011, 08:43 PM

Naturally, when I speak in English, I have Chinese accent...
And after living in America for more than ten years, my Chinese has English accent....=___=xQ

That's so cute >w<

And most of the Germany's I've seen/heard just yell random German words... it seems to work XD
hahaha

Ineedaname9

03-17-2011, 01:06 AM

I really want to try German accent....but I failed miserably....=__=
Tried to throw some words in German......Can't pronounce them correctly....|||Orz

EDIT:
I need someone to just teach German to me...QxQ

For an accent, try instead of 'what' say 'vhat' or instead of 'that is good' it's 'das is goood' oh and 'YAAA!' is yes lol Nein = nine.

tsukie

03-17-2011, 02:00 AM

For an accent, try instead of 'what' say 'vhat' or instead of 'that is good' it's 'das is goood' oh and 'YAAA!' is yes lol Nein = nine.

Thanks~*

I found the most difficult sound for me to pronounce is the "ch" in German....=__=

Axelai

03-17-2011, 02:13 AM

My Germany (^ Cousin Nick) usually does the whole V and W mix up thing... and says "nein" instead of no... and mostly just sounds like dub!Germany XD;; (To the point that now I think "Wow, Patrick sounded like Danielle... AH SHIT" XD;; )

☆ Kei ☆

03-17-2011, 03:19 AM

If this makes any sense, I'll be amazed.
EDIT:
I need someone to just teach German to me...QxQ

Short of what Ineedaname9 suggested, if you don't mind metal, Rammstein's songs have fairly clear pronunciation if you're not entirely sure. Even if most German teachers don't like him/them, for some reason. xD;;

My Prussia's taken German for four years now, and she does whip it out in appropriate settings. (Once, she started talking to a Germany or Austria, and they held a decent conversation in German. Which is awesome, unless you only have a vague idea what they're saying, and can't contribute to the convo. xD; ) Since it's a language I don't mind, I know bits and pieces. Which works for Austria, since I mainly only know the words the different dialects share. :3
Everyone else, I don't know~ Accents and/or the language may sneak in, since I'm like a sponge at times, but it's not a conscious effort on my part.

In short, I'll respond to you in character if you want, but I'm not going to go out of my way to add an accent or talk in another language unless I feel the effort's worth it, or I think I can do it without sounding utterly ridiculous. 'v';;

smilestyle

03-18-2011, 02:32 PM

What about speaking the accent/language in a region where a lot of people speak it?
I'm just wondering because I'd love to do Spain, and the area I live in has a lot of Spanish speakers. I just don't want to offend anyone. ;o;
I have been taking Spanish for four years now and can speak/comprehend a good deal of it, but my accent is forever gringa and I don't want to tick anyone off.
On that note, I should probably use a Castillian accent instead of Latin American Spanish, right?

Axelai

03-18-2011, 02:36 PM

What about speaking the accent/language in a region where a lot of people speak it?
I'm just wondering because I'd love to do Spain, and the area I live in has a lot of Spanish speakers. I just don't want to offend anyone. ;o;
I have been taking Spanish for four years now and can speak/comprehend a good deal of it, but my accent is forever gringa and I don't want to tick anyone off.
On that note, I should probably use a Castillian accent instead of Latin American Spanish, right?

Well, the best way to go IMO is to copy whatever the character sounds like. Then if they try and get on your case about it, you say you're doing the character's voice, not an accent.

Ritsu H Saotome

03-20-2011, 01:28 AM

I speak English and a little bit of german and I plan to dig up my binders from german classes.

I also know a Czech Folk/drinking song.

Pasta_or_Die

03-30-2011, 02:24 PM

This post helped me out alot ^^

I dont stay in character 100% (rusty cosplaying/roleplaying skills a bit**)
Im cosplaying as Seychelles and i'm just going to throw a couple of french words around at the Anime Expo (Thank god for the afternoon french classes i only took for a couple of months!).

It's the effort that counts! Accents are always a few bonus points to your cosplay as well as if you actually know how to speak the language, but having fun is even more important!!!!

ShinigamiNyx

04-03-2011, 06:01 PM

Ahaha~ When I end up doing Russia, I will be speaking in a (Lolololbad!) Russian accent, and I've slipped into the habit of doing so anyway. So far, I think my boyfriend thinks it's cute.

As for Egypt, I have no idea how to even go about attempting that without seeming ignorant or offensive. Sure, it's Hetalia and yes it offends everybody, but still. o3o;;

As for staying 100% in character, I never do. I have fun, I smile, I laugh, I play mean and then say "Nonono, come back! Give me a hug!" It really hurt when a girl was cosplaying my favorite villain, and I hugged her, and then I mentioned I was going to cosplay her "Nemesis" the next next year. She shoved me away. That stings really bad. D:

Welp! I'm off to listen to some accents on youtube. Not the best place, but...until I find somewhere better, that's where I'll be!

Studying German has helped in a way to brush up on my Austrian accent (I do not go by the anime, because it's not accurate. I've heard amazing Viennese accents.), but I'm taking a few cues from a Viennese maestro I heard at the symphony this past New Years. His accent was just adorable. A bit German, a bit Slavic...even a bit French, at times!

XxChibiArtistxX

06-23-2011, 01:35 AM

Almost every time I try to do an accent I slip up and it eventually turns into British. XD Just the way I roll. Although I taught my friend how to do a Russian accent for her fem!Russia cosplay (I just read a wikihow and taught her in about an hour the night before) since it seemed like a good idea at 1am...and at the meetup we went to, people kept asking her if she was actually from Russia :D It was awesome~ My Italian accent sucked though lol

Hungarychan

06-23-2011, 10:57 AM

I do start rambling in fluent Mandarin (lived with a Chinese family for my entire life, took Chinese school since 3rd grade) at random times, but I'm cosplaying fem! Hong Kong for Otakon.....I wish I understood Cantonese...I think it's even worse than Japanese/Korean...